Which USB Ethernet adapter is known to work?

Restore
1

Can someone recommend a specific USB Ethernet adapter that will work with the UrBackUp restore flash drive? (I’m having a VERY hard time getting the flash drive to recognize many of our network cards.)

Amazon has 100s of different models for $10-$15. Which would be best:

  1. Specifically mentions Linux (but not Debian) drivers
  2. Specifically states “no drivers needed”. (Or do they really mean “drivers are already included with Windows”?)
  3. States it works with “Macs”.
  4. Doesn’t mention Linux support at all.
2

Well, when I search Amazon for it I get Tp-Link UE300 as first result for 10€. It says in the description that it works on Linux OS. People in the reviews say it uses a RTL8153 chip for which I can find e.g. http://linux-hardware.org/?id=usb:0bda-8153 . There are also reviews like Works great under Linux using built-in driver, so pretty sure this one will work on a non-outdated Linux kernel.

3

Thanks, I will try that one next.

I already ordered/received this one:

It definitely does NOT work with the UrBackUp Restore thumb drive.

(The adapter works perfect/instantly with Linux Mint. But I have no idea how I would ever get UrBackUp Restore into Mint)

4

I noticed the latest Restore ISO available as of Jun 2021 is v2.3.1.
It’s based on Debian 10 Buster v4.19.0-6.

Would a newer release of the Restore ISO include another 1-2 years worth of network drivers?
(I have no idea how Debian version numbers work… nor if it’s only safe to use ‘stable’… nor if the drivers are updated as part of the OS or Kernel.)

5

It’s mainly the Linux kernel (newer version has more drivers). The live cd may also have the firmware file missing (look at dmesg output) – in this case please say what file is missing and I’ll add the debian package that contains it, if possible.

I build a Debian bullseye image and it seems to work: Releases · uroni/urbackup_restore_cd · GitHub

6

dmesg: I have no idea how to tell “which file is missing”.

I purchased yet another USB/Ethernet adapter. (This time with a RTL8153 chip.) It DOES work with UrBackUp restore. Unfortunately, it only works when plugged into my USB2.0 port. Doesn’t appear at all when using USB3. The restores now work… but are extremely slow.

I’ll try the 2021-06-06_18-16-32 release next.

Thanks for all your help!

7

That 2021-06-06_18-16-32 version of the restore ISO, works perfectly. No additional Ethernet-to-USB needed. It must contain the drivers for all the latest motherboards… including mine.

Perfect.